NEW DELHI: India A captain Rishabh Pant will aim to build on the positives from the opening match, while senior players like Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav look to gain vital red ball practice in the second four day game against Temba. Bavuma’s South Africa A, starting Thursday.
Pant had a productive outing in the first match, keeping wickets for 139.3 overs and facing 133 balls during a lively 90 at the BCCI Center of Excellence. With fitness no longer a concern, he will look to test himself once more before the two Test series against South Africa begins on November 14.
Siraj, KL Rahul, and Kuldeep recently returned from India’s white ball tour of Australia and will use this opportunity to adjust back to the longer format against quality opposition. South Africa A, meanwhile, will be determined to level the series after India A’s three wicket win in the first game.
The visitors’ pacers found success with short pitched bowling on the final day of the previous match, troubling several Indian batsmen including Pant. Whether the senior South African team employs a similar strategy remains to be seen, but their bowlers certainly exposed some discomfort among the Indian top order against rising deliveries.
The pitch at the Center of Excellence offered consistent bounce and help for fast bowlers, so South Africa A might once again rely on their quicks to exploit those conditions. That could serve as valuable preparation for India’s batters before facing Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen in the upcoming Test series.
India A’s own pace attack includes Prasidh Krishna, who recently suffered a blow to the head against Australia A in Lucknow, and Akash Deep, both eager to push for a recall to the Test squad. Prasidh last featured in the home series against the West Indies, while Akash played the fifth Test against England at The Oval. Since then, Prasidh has appeared in one ODI in Australia, while Akash has been consistent for Bengal in domestic cricket. Both will eye the third seamer’s spot behind jasprit Bumrah and Siraj.
Kuldeep Yadav, released from the white ball side on team management’s request, will get valuable overs here to fine tune his craft before the Test series. Sir Sudharsanwho opened in place of the injured Narayan Jagadeesan in the first game, struggled for rhythm with scores of 32 and 12 but will look to rediscover his fluent stroke play this time.
For the visitors, Bavuma returns from a calf strain that kept him out of the Pakistan tour and will be keen to find form and spend time in the middle.
India A: Rishabh Pant (C, WK), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush KotianManav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brother, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav.
South Africa A: Marques Ackerman, Temba Bavuma (C), Okuhle Cele, Zubayr Hamza, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, Rivaldo moonsamyTshepo moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan SubrayenKyle Simmonds tsepo Ndwandwa,Jason Smith, Tiaan van Vuuren, Codi Yusuf.
Match starts at 9.30 am.
(With PTI Inputs)
